said he, breaking off in the middle of the air he was
humming, "did you see him at the fight?"

"Him?" says I.

"Raikes," nodded Bentley. "Man Dick, I never see the fellow but my
fingers itch for his throat. I heard some talk that he had won a
thousand or so from young Vesey, by this one bout alone."

"Humph!" says I.

"Come, Dick," says Bentley, "let's get on; he cannot be so very far
behind, and I have no stomach for his society--I'll race you to the
cross roads for fifty."

"I'll hurry myself for no such fellow as Raikes!" says I.

"Nor fifty guineas?"

"No," says I, "nor fifty guineas!"

Whereupon, Bentley yielding to my humour, we rode on with never a word
betwixt us. It lacked now but a short three weeks to Christmas, and
every day served but to bring Jack nearer to his grave, and add a
further load to that which pressed upon my heart. At such times the
thought of Pen, and the agony I must see in her eyes so soon, drove me
well-nigh frantic. In this rough world men must be prepared for
fortune's buffets--and shame to him that blenches, say I--but when
through us Fate strikes those we fain would shelter, methinks it is
another matter. Thus, had Jack proved coward, I for one should have
rejoiced for Pen's sake, but as it was, no power on earth could stay
the meeting, and this Christmas would bring her but anguish, and a great
sorrow. With all these thoughts upon my mind I was very silent and
despondent--and what wonder! As for Bentley, he, on the contrary,
manifested an indifference out of all keeping with his character, an
insensibility that angered and disgusted me not a little, but surprised
and pained me, most of all.

So it was in moody silence that we walked our horses up the hill where
the beacon stands, and were barely on top, when we heard the sound of
rapidly approaching hoofs behind us, and a few minutes later Sir Harry
Raikes with his friend, Captain Hammersley, galloped up.

Hereupon Bentley, in his usual easy, inconsequent fashion, fell into
conversation with them, but as for me, having bowed in acknowledgment of
their boisterous salutation, I relapsed once more into gloomy thought.
Little by little however, it became apparent to me that for some reason
I had become a mark for their amusement; more than once I caught them
exchanging looks, or regarding me from the corners of their eyes in such
fashion as set my ears a-tingling. The Captain was possessed of a
peculiarly high-pitched, falset